VENUE

Please arrange your own transport to the hotel on the arrival day and to the airport on your departure day.

By Taxi.
You can easily catch a taxi at the taxi stands located at the Arrival Halls, taxi signs are obvious immediately exiting the baggage area. This service is available 24 hours. If you are taking a taxi from the airport to your hotel it will cost approximately S$30 during off-peak hours and may take you about 30-45 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.
While most taxi will accept credit cards it may be useful to have a small amount of Singapore Dollars. There are ATMs and plenty of banks operating money changing at the airport and the exchange rate of any currency into Singapore $ is usually cheaper in Singapore.

The workshop will be held at the Breakthrough Theatrette, Level 4 of the Matrix Building, Biopolis. Bringing a sweater may be useful in the fully air-conditioned environment. Upon arrival at the workshop venue please visit the Registration Desk.

By Taxi
Please pick up a taxi at the concierge area of the hotel and provide the following address to the cab driver:

By MRT/Bus
Take the East-West or Circle Line and alight at the Buona Vista MRT station. Take Exit B. Pass by the Ministry of Education (MOE) building (on the left). Turn into Biopolis Way and walk up the hill into Biopolis where the Matrix building is located.

Image courtesy of Singapore Tourism Board
Singapore is a bustling cosmopolitan city with a world-class living environment in a landscape of high-rise buildings and gardens. Singapore society is a rich mixture of ethnicities and beliefs, and the city is famously safe and clean. English is the business language, although you might sometimes wonder. We use standard British square 3-pin plugs.

Currency is the Singapore dollar (S$). Money-changing services are found in most shopping centres and hotels. ATM cash machines accept most major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Near the conference, there are ATMs at Star Vista mall and at the front of the Ministry of Education building (junction of Biopolis Way with North Buona Vista).

Tipping:

Tipping is not necessary. 7% goods and services tax (GST) and a service charge of 10% is usually added automatically. However it is becoming increasingly common to give a few dollars to efficient waiters, bellboys and taxi drivers.

Mobile Phones:

Singapore’s international dialing code prefix is + 65. While in Singapore and using an international roaming service on your mobile phone, you don’t have to pre-dial + 65 as the system will recognize local numbers dialed here.

SOME OF SINGAPORE'S TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:

Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Botanic Gardens are 5 mins from Orchard Road at the Tanglin end. A people’s park, the 150-year-old Botanic Gardens spearheaded orchid breeding and houses many educational facilities. People go there at all hours (opens 5am to 12 midnight) for walking, running, tai chi, picnics and free concerts. Several cafes, three lakes, orchid gardens, cool house; admission is free.

Gardens by the Bay:

A recently developed example of Singapore's "City in a Garden" vision, Gardens by the Bay is an award-winning horticultural attraction housing over 250,000 rare plants in massive domed conservatories in Singapore's new downtown area, Marina Bay. The development won the "World Building of the Year award" at the World Architecture Festival 2012. A good view of the Marina Bay financial district skyline can be enjoyed from the waterfront promenade. Marina Bay Sands and ArtScience Museum: The integrated resort at Marina Bay includes the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel and the ArtScience Museum, and is situated in Singapore’s business district. Marina Bay Sands has a luxury hotel, state-of-the-art convention and exhibition facilities, theatres and some of the best luxury shopping and dining in the region. The ArtScience Museum is a truly spectacular exhibition venue in a building shaped like an opening lotus flower. It is currently showing Dinosaurs: Dawn to Extinction.

River Safari:

Asia's unique river-themed wildlife park houses over 5,000 animals. Explore eight freshwater habitats and meet rare river giants such as the giant river otter, giant salamander and the Mekong giant catfish. Stroll through freshwater galleries and enter walk-through exhibits to learn about the unique wildlife in river habitats. http://riversafari.com.sg/

Night Safari:

The Night Safari is the world’s first nocturnal zoo and is one of the most popular attractions in Singapore. It houses over 1,000 animals from 114 species as they graze and hunt in natural environments across the 40-hectare park. The quiet electrical tram takes you on a journey with lions, tigers, tapirs, deer, leopards, hog badgers, hyenas, civets and other nocturnal creatures in the artificial moonlight, living in habitats that best mimic their natural environment.

Sentosa Island:

Sentosa is a resort island about 15 min from the city centre, with beaches, sea sports, golf and retreats and many other attractions. The island’s main honey-pot, Imbiah Lookout, offers something for everyone from nature walking trails to the Skyline Luge Sentosa, the Tiger Sky Tower, Butterfly Park, and the Images of Singapore museum of Singapore’s history and culture, highly informative for new visitors. On the quieter side of the island there are excellent restaurants, hotels and spas.

Marine Life Park:

The Marine Life Park is the world’s largest oceanarium with a myriad marine wonders of our blue planet. Explore the world’s largest aquarium at S.E.A. Aquarium™ and plunge into wet and wild fun at Adventure Cove Waterpark™. Discover an action-packed aquatic world and spectacular ocean animals at Marine Life Park™, Resorts World™ Sentosa Singapore!